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Home>Housing Choices
 Housing Choices
A healthy regional economy depends not only on jobs, but also on places for the workforce to live and contribute to the community. When workers live closer to their jobs they reinvest a larger part of their income in the local economy, commuting traffic decreases along with public infrastructure costs to maintain the roadways, and workers are able to spend more time with their families and become more involved in their communities. Providing a mix of quality housing choices that are affordable to households across the income spectrum is a key ingredient to maintaining vibrant communities.
The Tompkins County Planning Department is actively involved in several projects addressing housing choices.
Tompkins County Housing Strategy
The Tompkins County Housing Strategy outlines four principal strategies that can be utilized to address the issue of affordable housing. These principal strategies have proven successful in other communities and were among the recommendations of the Tompkins County needs assessment. They include inclusionary and incentive zoning, community housing trust, employer assistance and community housing affordability fund.
 Housing Strategy (doc)
Resolution Endorsing Housing Strategy (doc)
The following municipalities and community organizations have formally adopted the Tompkins County Housing Strategy:
- Tompkins County Legislature
- City of Ithaca Common Council
- Ithaca Town Board
- Lansing Town Board
- Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services
- Tompkins County Area Development
- Better Housing for Tompkins County
- Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce
- Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties
Affordable Housing Needs Assessment
The Tompkins County Affordable Housing Needs Assessment, completed in August 2006, documents current housing, economic, and demographic trends in the County and forecasts the number of housing units that will need to be added to the current supply to meet the needs of our population in the next decade. The assessment also recommends actions to facilitate an increase in the supply of affordable housing units.
The study found a shortfall of 875 units (325 owner-occupied and 550 rental units) in 2005, when the data was collected. Housing unit demand is forecast to increase at a rate of 384 units per year, or by a total of 3,894 units, between 2006 and 2014. The study acknowledges that the community will need to mobilize resources over the next ten years to facilitate development of more than 2,500 units of housing affordable to households with incomes at or below the county’s household median income. The market simply will not provide units that are affordable to these households without some assistance from the public sector, community organizations and local institutions.
Final Report with Appendices
Tompkins County Homeownership Program
The Tompkins County Homeownership Program provides financial assistance to low- and moderate-income families to purchase homes in Tompkins County. In addition to down payment assistance, the program provides an educational workshop on the home buying process, maintenance workshops, and one-on-one financial counseling.
Since this program began in 1993, Tompkins County has been awarded over $5.7 million in grant funds. This has leveraged nearly $19 million in private mortgage funds and helped over 311 families become homeowners. This program is funded by Small Cities Community Block Grants received from the Governor’s Office for Small Cities.
The Homeownership Program provides basic assistance of up to 30% of the purchase price plus up to $3,750 in closing costs. The maximum financial assistance to participants is $30,000. For more information or to determine if you are eligible contact Better Housing for Tompkins County at 273-2187 or visit their website at www.betterhousingtc.org
 Homeownship Program Pre-Application
Tools for Local Governments to Promote Affordable Housing
Local governments can promote affordable housing in many different ways, with some programs being mandatory and others providing incentives to developers, such as density bonuses, or parking waivers. Some programs require cash contributions to an affordable housing fund, while others involve construction of affordable units within the development.
Affordable Housing.doc
Model Ordinance Incentive Zoning
Model Ordinance Inclusionary Zoning
Tompkins County In-Commuter Survey Analysis
In February 2006 the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council and local officials completed the Tompkins County/Cornell Employee Commuter Survey. The Tompkins County Planning Department provided several supplemental questions about employees' attitudes regarding living in Tompkins County.
In-Commuter Survey Analysis
Tompkins County Renter's Survey
The Tompkins County Housing Needs Assessment estimates the need for renter and owner-occupied housing units based on population growth dynamics and underlying demographic trends in the county.
The Tompkins County Renter Survey was developed to provide more detailed information about the evolving nature of renter unit demand in the County and assist in gaining a greater understanding of the nature and specific sub-components of future unit demand. Information about the type of renter housing needed; the composition and structure of the household(s) living in unit types; household income; and information about the housing costs borne by renters was gathered to assist in developing a greater understanding of the needs and challenges faced by the county’s renter households.
The survey was constructed in such a way that it can be replicated in subsequent years and provide the opportunity to observe trends and changes over time.
Tompkins County Renter's Survey General Population: Final Report
Tompkins County Renter's Survery Student Population: Final Report
Combined Analysis of Student Renters and the General Renter Population: Summary Report
Tompkins County Renter's Survey: Executive Summary
Tracking Subsidized Housing Units for Tompkins County
The purpose of Tracking Subsidized Housing Units for Tompkins County, as stated in the Comprehensive Plan, is to “(I)dentify subsidized affordable housing units and determine when subsidies expire and if the units are likely to remain affordable.” The second piece of the action item is to “(E)stablish a program to monitor the status of those units to anticipate impending deficiencies.”
There are several forms of subsidized housing: (1) Housing units that participate in the Section 8 Voucher Program whereby landlords/management accept vouchers as a form of rent or the apartment complex agrees to maintain a certain number of units, often the entire complex, for those with vouchers; (2) Organizations that distribute Section 8 vouchers; and (3) housing complexes that were funded, either through a construction loan or mortgage, by USDA Rural Development or NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal. A table that outlines the Overview of Organizations is provided.
The Database of Subsidized Housing Units in Tompkins County is available.
Housing Complexes Funded through Federal/State Government These units would be most likely to convert to market rate when the regulatory period has been completed.
Housing Fund: Community Housing Affordability Program and Community Housing Trust Program
The Community Housing Affordability Program and Community Housing Trust Program, collectively known as the Housing Fund, are a joint effort of Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca and Cornell University and will help communitiies and organizations throughout Tompkins County respond to the diverse affordable housing needs of its residents. Projects must include units of affordable housing for low and moderate income households.
Information on Housing Fund
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